Police identify arson suspect in Gascoigne Lumber fire and others

Meghan Walker Ballard

Police have identified a 38-year-old man they believe is responsible for starting the Gascoigne Lumber fire and a series of other fires around Ballard, Fremont and Queen Anne.

Detectives believe the man, who is already booked into Whatcom County Jail for an unrelated case, set five fires at businesses between Oct. 28 and Nov. 28 last year.

The fires include an office complex in the 200 block of Etruria St on Oct 28, the Elks lodge at 3014 3rd Ave NW on Nov. 8, the Gascoigne lumber yard on Nov. 10, a gymnasium on the 1400 block of NW 52nd St on Nov. 19, and an alley fire behind the Smoke Shop on Nov. 28.

Police say the fires caused more than four and half million dollars in damage.

The Washington State Crime Lab analyzed evidence from one of the crime and on Feb. 6, were able to match the DNA to the suspect. SPD is working with King County Prosecuting Attorney’s office to bring the arson charges against the man.

12 thoughts to “Police identify arson suspect in Gascoigne Lumber fire and others”

    1. So, you’re saying a homeless person did this? Don’t be shy, you might get virtue-signaled by the righteous, but if that’s who it was, that’s who it was.

      1. well, yes, a homeless person did do it…funny the seattle times and others larger media won’t even mention the st lukes/food bank connections.

  2. Gee, imagine this. Recidivism; some 15-20% of the population committing some 85% of all crimes. It’s obvious the cops hands are tied here and our catch + release program is running at full speed. Lenient judges, lazy prosecutors and liberal residents that don’t seem to care about laws and enforcing them. Got heroin?

    1. I know you’re just trying to make some kind of delusional point, but you actually had one good point among your otherwise anti-liberal rant:

      Recidivism

      The US has one of the worst recidivism in the developed world, something like 60%. When our justice system consists of throwing 2.3 million convicts into for profit hellholes, with no semblance of reformation, are you expecting these people to come out as model citizens? How about the fact that the justice system is stacked against the poor, so many go to prison for crimes they did not commit, because they don’t have the knowledge or money to fight the charges?

      The ones that do come out, attempting to become productive members of society, are met with scorn, inability to find work and loss of basic rights, like voting, despite having served their supposed punishments.

      Got justice?

        1. “agreed. it’s almost as if we don’t have a rehabilitation system, but rather a punishment/modern-day slavery system..”

          Agreed. We punish the working people in Seattle with obscene taxes and use them as slaves to pay consultants to fix problems they created.

          1. We certainly don’t put a burden of taxes on the wealthy – we have the most regressive tax system in the U.S.A. That comes from the state level though, and you can blame the legislators in red for that.
            What I was referring to (as you know) was the for-profit prison system which equates to modern-day slavery. Why aren’t we spending the money on rehabilitation instead? Why do we have such a hard-on for punishment when it’s been shown repeatedly not to deter crime?

          2. I’m confused here. Your contention is that the prison system somehow caused this man to commit arson? Absurd. It’s as stupid as saying the gang problem is CAUSED by prisons. Yep, everything is the fault of the taxpayer, never the perpetrator. Comedy. The very same people you want to have voting are apparently incapable of exercising self control.

            Yes we need prison reform, but holy smokes your level of liberal insanity is off the charts. Besides, Seattle techies are fine with Asian slave labor to make their precious AMZ junk.

          3. Again, you’re right – you are confused. Constantly. Did the prison system rehabilitate this man? No. It didn’t. Will it? No, it won’t. Have you ever actually spoken to someone in prison? Of COURSE the gang problem is exacerbated by prisons.
            Your conservative insanity left the charts long ago bub. That’s why I’ve been trying to offer you help – there are many mental health resources in the neighborhood that can help you with the severe mental disturbances you’re experiencing.
            I will add that your last comment about folks being fine with Asian slave labor to make tech is pretty accurate, though I’m not sure why you’re singling out techies. Are you using a computer? Do you have a cell phone? I would argue most Americans are fine with it, but I do agree with you that it’s a problem that needs addressed.

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